Keyboard instruments existed as early as the third century BC where the Ancient Greeks used a type of pipe organ known as the “hydraulis.” The piano, which began to gain widespread popularity as early as the 18th century, saw considerable improvement, in design, throughout the 19th century. While it was not uncommon, even in the 20th century, to have an upright piano, or even grand, piano, in a home, the popularity of the piano, due to its inherent bulkiness, has diminished in popularity (in terms of consumer demand).
Electric pianos, first developed in the early 20th century, used metal strings with a magnetic pickup, an amplifier and a loudspeaker. By the beginning of the 21st century, electric piano technology had evolved to hybrid variations such as the “electronic keyboard.” An electronic keyboard, typically including a keyboard used in conjunction with a synthesizer (including a power amplifier) and small loudspeakers, is capable of recreating a wide range of musical sounds.
The dynamic range of the electronic keyboard has been greatly increased through use of the musical instrument digital interface (MIDI)—a standard for digital code transmission and digital technology development. When the electronic keyboard is used as a MIDI controller, MIDI data (including, for instance, information about note pitch, as well as duration) can be used to trigger sounds from a sound module or synthesizer. Capability of the electronic keyboard, when used in the context of a MIDI controller, can be greatly enhanced by use with a computer executing one or more software applications.
A current trend in music composition includes adapting the electronic keyboard into a wearable musical instrument. Each of the following patents at least relates to a wearable musical apparatus usable with a pair of hands:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,508 discloses a musical-tone-control apparatus having finger sensors that detect the bending of each finger and produce on/off signals in response to the bending. One group of outputs of the finger sensors is converted into keycodes that control tone pitches by the use of converting rules, and the other group of the outputs thereof is also used for changing the ranges of the tone pitches. Hence, musical tones controlled by finger motions of a performer are generated. Moreover, the converting rules can be altered by a modification-control means so that keycode-conversion rules can be varied. Thus, conversion rules appropriate for generating tones which occur frequently and are easy to produce for an individual, can be set for each musical piece. Furthermore, grouping the outputs of finger sensors makes it possible for a performer to achieve a variety of control of musical tones.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,884 discloses a glove including a body that is positional about a user's hand. Speakers are embedded within the body and are coupled to an amplifier. Mechanisms are included for sensing external forces on each finger and for generating control signals when the external forces are detected. Each control signal includes an embedded digital data stream identifying an intensity and a time interval of the external forces. A mechanism is included for calculating a signal pattern corresponding to the control signal data streams. The signal pattern has the identical intensity and time interval characteristics of the external forces. LEDs are coupled to the signal pattern calculating mechanism. A mechanism is included for emitting musical sounds based upon the calculated signal pattern such that the audible musical sounds match the intensity and time interval of the signal pattern. The audible musical sound emitting mechanism includes an amp and a switch coupled thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,674,969 discloses a finger musical instrument, including a first glove and a second glove, some performance keys distributed on a fingertip of each of the gloves, and a sound box positioned at each of the gloves. The finger musical instrument further includes a combination key positioned at palm heel of each of the gloves. Each of the sound boxes is connected with a controller. The performance key and the combination key on the same glove are all connected with the corresponding controller. Therein the performance key and the combination of the performance key and the combination key of one glove gives out one octave sound, while the performance key and the combination of the performance key and the combination key of the other glove gives out another octave sound. Each of the controllers is provided with a range regulation switch used for making a sound higher or lower by an octave on each of the gloves. With regulation of the range regulation switch, the finger musical instrument is able to give out a range of two octaves through the sound box.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,842,879 discloses a touch sensitive impact controlled signal transfer device used as a musical glove device that sends electrical signals to a sound module when areas of the glove containing piezoelectric discs are tapped or otherwise impacted on a surface. The force applied by impact to the piezoelectric disc or discs is interpreted by the sound module and the module produces a sound at a volume level directly related to the force of impact on the piezoelectric discs. Multiple piezoelectric disks are located in each glove allowing a plurality of sounds by tapping different areas of the glove, such as the palm, thumb and fingers.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,362,350, includes a comprehensive discussion of the prior art corresponding with wearable musical instruments, some of which include the use of sensors at the fingertips. The '350 Patent discloses a wearable trigger electronic music system that can simulate any kind of music, anywhere and at any time. For example, one can create all the benefits of the percussion instrument, such as a drum kit, without its cost and burden. The same also applies to string, wind, and other types of instruments of any nation, culture, motif, era, age, etc. The system includes constituent components, including sensors, transducers, electronics, music modules, pre-amps, and amplifiers, wired or wireless, with connections for intra- and inter-modules, including final enjoyment by wired or wireless headphones or speakers. Also delineated is the process of creating music for the DIY enthusiast.
JPH05150771 discloses an electronic musical instrument which can easily be played by providing a controller which generates an audio signal corresponding to the detection data of a depression sensor fitted on a fingertip. Referring more particularly to the bibliographic data for the subject patent, touch switches 1a-1e, and 2a-2e are stuck on the tips of left and right gloves 1 and 2. A player wears the gloves 1 and 2 on the left and right hands and presses the top of a desk to play desired music. The kind of the pressed finger and the pressing time are sent to a microcomputer 4 through a reception part 3, and data for sound source generation are generated there. The data are sent to a sound source part 5 and inputted to the base of the transistor of a VCA 6 as an input signal corresponding to the frequency of the sound corresponding to the finger tip and the pressing time. The output of the VCA 6 is amplified by a power amplifier 8 and outputted as a musical sound from a speaker.
The disclosures of the above-described patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Each of the following U.S. patents and U.S. patent application publication, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, may include at least one teaching relating the area of wearable musical technology: U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,484; U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,840; U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,090; U.S. Pat. No. 6,885,316; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0171758.
For example, the wearable musical glove of U.S. Pat. No. 7,674,969 discloses the use of range selection switch, in conjunction with combination and performance keys, to increase octave range. It should be appreciated, however, that this increase in octave or dynamic range comes at the expense of complexity in system usage since each combination key is positioned at a palm heel of a glove, while each range switch appears to be part of (or at least in close proximity to) a sound box at a wrist portion of the glove. Thus, multiple system elements, associated with various parts of a hand, other than the fingers, must be engaged in order to achieve the increased dynamic range. It would desirable to achieve increased dynamic range in the area of wearable electronic musical instrumentation by providing a system that possesses a simple, yet robust design, that is easy to access and use.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present specification, there is disclosed a wearable electronic music system including finger mountable implements for at least two fingers. In one example, a switch is mounted to each finger mountable implement and the finger mountable implements operatively communicate with a sound producing subsystem by way of an interface, such as an ASIC. By selectively changing states of the switch on the one finger element, one of several different outputs can be obtained when the other finger mountable implement is brought into contact with a solid surface. In another example, the switch for one or more finger implements (or alternatively a sensor) can assume one of various forms ranging from a multi-position switch to a switch using a movable member, such as a roller switch. In yet another example, one of the other finger mountable implements is configured to reflect note duration in response to how quickly that finger implement is brought into contact with the solid surface. In another example, the one finger mountable implement is secured to a thumb while the other finger mountable element is secured to a finger other than the thumb. In this way, an output selection for the finger other than the thumb can be made by, for instance, tapping the switch of the thumb prior to contacting the solid surface with the finger other than the thumb.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present specification, the finger mountable implements may be configured as a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) controller, the MIDI controller operatively communicating with a synthesizer. In response to setting a switch operatively associated with one finger mountable implement and contacting a solid surface with another finger mountable implement, MIDI Messages are communicated to the synthesizer for generating musical output.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present specification, there is disclosed a wearable user input device for selectively producing a first musical output and a second musical output. In one example, at least three finger mountable implements are provided for three respective digits with the first implement being configured to selectively generate first and second signals. Responsive to generation of the first signal, the first musical output is produced when the second and third implements are brought into contact with a solid surface and, responsive to generation of the second signal, the second musical output is produced when the second and third implements are brought into contact with the solid surface
The various embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to those embodiments described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments and equivalents set forth. For a general understanding, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like references have been used throughout to designate identical or similar elements. It is also noted that the drawings may not have been drawn to scale and that certain regions may have been purposely drawn disproportionately so that the features and aspects could be properly depicted